Spatiotemporal patterns and drivers of coupling coordination between digital technological innovation and economic resilience in the Yangtze river economic belt

The synergistic evolution of digital technological innovation (DTI) and urban economic resilience (UER) has become an inherent requirement for the high-quality development of urban agglomerations. Based on panel data at the prefecture-level city scale from 2011 to 2022, this paper explores the spatiotemporal patterns and driving factors of the coupling coordination between DTI and UER across the three major urban agglomerations in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB). The study yields the following key findings: First, during the study period, the coupling coordination degree between digital innovation and UER experienced a fundamental shift from disorder to coordination, but high-quality coupling coordination has not yet been fully achieved. Second, the spatial distribution of coupling coordination exhibits a clear upstream-downstream gradient, with higher coordination in the upper reaches and lower coordination in the middle and lower reaches, forming a distinct core-periphery structure within each agglomeration. Third, the overall inequality in coupling coordination shows a declining trend, but inter-agglomeration differences remain the primary source of inequality. Finally, economic development, fiscal pressure, innovation capacity, and scientific research support are identified as the key driving factors influencing coupling coordination. Based on these findings, the study recommends: promoting regional collaboration, enhancing fiscal support, and optimizing the spillover effects of core cities to foster more balanced and resilient development across the YREB.